Heat relief in northern Utah, but hot and dry in the south

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While northern Utah was getting some mid-week respite from unseasonable spring heat, the state's southern reaches continued to bake as gusty winds looked for the smallest sparks to whip into wildfires.

The National Weather Service extended a "Red Flag" wildfire danger warning for a stretch of the state from southwestern Utah into central Utah's Carbon County, and running to the southeastern corner of the state on Wednesday. Dry and windy conditions  and increased risk for rapidly spreading fires  were forecast to continue on Thursday.

Gusty winds on Tuesday whipped a human-caused fire out of Hurricane and into nearby Bureau of Land Management holdings, burning more than 1,000 acres.

The Wasatch Front looked for scattered rain showers and high temperatures Thursday in the mid-60s, mirroring the forecast for Wednesday, but a far cry from Monday's record-setting 90s. Indeed, at higher elevations a hard-freeze warning was in effect for the eastern slopes of the Wasatch Mountains.

However, southern Utahns expected highs near 90 degrees Thursday, down only a few degrees from Wednesday's highs, along with winds in the 20 mph range.

Air quality rated a "Green" or healthy rating statewide, according to the Utah Division of Environmental Quality.

On Thursday, Salt Lake City looked for a high of 64, the same as forecast for Wednesday; Ogden expected highs of 61 and 62, respectively; Provo was pegged at 68 degrees both days; Logan looked for highs of 61 degrees both days; Wendover 69 and 66; Duchesne 68 and 69; Cedar City 77 and 79; St. George 88 and 92; and Moab 79 and 86 degrees.

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